Commercial and industrial storage rack systems are designed to hold various quantities of items and materials of different sizes, shapes and weights. While they vary in structure, storage rack systems normally include a series of interconnected steel columns, each of which rests on a solid floor such as a large slab of concrete. Braces are normally installed across adjacent pairs of columns. Shelving or pallets installed across pairs of braces normally hold the items or materials being stored. The columns bear the weight of the stored items or materials and transfer that weight to a base at the bottom of each column and from the base to the floor on which the columns are installed.
Storage rack systems can be installed in outdoor areas, factories, warehouses and large box retail stores located in all geographic areas. In some of these areas, storage rack systems are subjected to potentially significant seismic forces resulting from earthquakes. While storage rack systems can withstand the vibrations caused by low and moderate levels of seismic forces, increased levels of seismic forces can cause damage to storage rack systems or can cause items or materials to fall off the shelves or pallets of the storage rack systems on which they are stored.